favism

fa·vism

(fā'vizm),

An acute condition suffered after ingestion of certain species of beans, for example, Vicia faba, or inhalation of the pollen of its flower; characterized by fever, headache, abdominal pain, severe anemia, prostration, and coma; it occurs in some people with genetic erythrocytic deficiency of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Chance exposure to the Vicia faba, by its impact on the phenotype of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, impinges on the expression or the gene, an example of incomplete penetrance.

favism

/fa·vism/ (fa´vizm) an acute hemolytic anemia precipitated by fava beans (ingestion, or inhalation of pollen), usually caused by deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the erythrocytes.

favism

[fā′vizəm]

Etymology: It, fava, bean

an acute hemolytic anemia caused by ingestion of the beans or inhalation of the pollen from the Vicia faba (fava) plant. Sensitive individuals have a genetic deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, usually the result of a hereditary biochemical abnormality of the erythrocytes. Symptoms include dizziness, headache, vomiting, fever, jaundice, eosinophilia, and often diarrhea. The condition occurs primarily in persons of southern Italian extraction and is treated by blood transfusion and avoidance of fava beans and pollen. See also glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.

fa·vism

(fah'vizm)

An acute condition seen following the ingestion of certain species of beans, e.g., Vicia faba, or inhalation of the pollen of its flower, in patients with genetic erythrocytic deficiency of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase; characterized by fever, headache, abdominal pain, severe anemia, prostration, and coma.

[Ital. favismo, from fava, bean]

favism

A hereditary sensitivity to a chemical substance found in broad beans that causes severe anaemia in those so affected if they eat the beans. The condition is rare except in Iran and some parts of the Mediterranean shore. Italian, favismo , from Latin favus , a bean.

favism

a human disease characterized by the destruction of red blood cells, resulting in severe anaemia. The disease is triggered by the consumption of raw broad bean (Vicia faba), inhalation of broad bean pollen or several other chemicals such as naphthalene (found in moth balls). The condition is due to a deficiency of the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase found in red blood cells, the trait being controlled by an X-linked gene which is rare in most caucasian populations but more common in black populations. Since the condition is sex-linked it is more prevalent in males, although heterozygous females can be shown to have a deficiency of dehydrogenase enzyme.

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